DaimlerChrysler Q1 China sales up 10 pct at 9,280 units, NE Asia sales up 13 PCT

BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - DaimlerChrysler said sales in China rose 10 pct in the first quarter to 9,280 vehicles, led by its recently launched Chrysler 300C.

In a statement, DaimlerChrysler (nyse: DCX - news - people ) said sales of 300C's rose 153 pct in the first quarter due to the ramp up of local production at its joint venture BeijingBenz-DaimlerChrysler Automotive Ltd.

It did not give a specific sales figure.

The statement added that Mercedes Car Group sales in mainland China and Hong Kong totaled 6,800 units, up 16 pct from the first quarter last year.

The company sold over 3,000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vehicles in the first three months, representing a year-on-year increase of 42 pct.

Sales of Mercedes imported to mainland China rose 54 pct, the statement said, without elaborating.

'We continue to see strong sales momentum in the region, led by high demand for our flagship products, like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Chrysler 300C,' DaimlerChrysler northeast Asia chief executive Ulrich Walker said in the statement.

DaimlerChrysler said its overall passenger vehicle sales in northeast Asia, which includes the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and South Korea, rose 13 pct to 12,861 units.

The statement added that Chrysler will next week launch a new vehicle for local production in China.

The company launched the Chrysler PT Cruiser in February and it said that sales have been greater than expected. It did not provide details.

It added that the Chrysler Group will also unveil the first Dodge vehicles to be sold in China next week at the Shanghai Auto show.

The company is bringing three new Jeep vehicles to China this year the new Grand Cherokee, Commander and Compass.

DaimlerChrysler's joint venture, BBDC, will also produce the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and another Chrysler vehicle later this year.